UEFA Conference League 2025/26: Every Performance of the Week winner

Thrilling performances and stunning results help emerging talents and teams come to the fore in the UEFA Conference League.

The most impressive from each matchday earn recognition in the Performance of the Week vote, powered by Laufenn, which celebrates the table-turning upsets, the record-breaking victories and the statement wins from sides who are daring to dream.

Here is every Performance of the Week winner.

Matchday 1: AEK Larnaca 4-0 AZ Alkmaar

Having reached the round of 16 in the Conference League in the 2022/23 season, AEK Larnaca made a triumphant return to this tournament by comfortably defeating semi-finalists from that campaign, AZ Alkmaar, with a scintillating attacking display in Cyprus. Despite a notable difference in recent European coefficients (96 to 37), Larnaca imposed themselves throughout and finished the night having created 20 chances to their opponents' five.

After AZ's Alexandre Penetra was sent off early on the hosts took full advantage, Waldo Rubio firing home from close range in the 25th minute before Riad Bajić headed in a second after half-time. Djordje Ivanović's side-footed finish and Marcus Rohdén's thunderous strike added gloss to the victory.

Matchday 2: Lincoln Red Imps 2-1 Lech Poznań

Lincoln Red Imps lost all six of their games in their maiden Conference League campaign in 2021/22 by an aggregate score of 17-2, and had cause to fear worse was to come as they opened their second league phase campaign with a 5-0 loss at Zrinjski. While their Matchday 2 visitors Lech Poznań controlled much of the game, registering more attempts on goal (21 to 12) and producing the higher expected goals figure (3.25 to 0.84), Lincoln's ability to stay in the contest and strike at key moments ultimately proved decisive.

Goals from Kike Gómez and Christian Rutjens secured the Gibraltarian side a first-ever league phase win. "It was a magical night," said Rutjens, who headed their 88th-minute winner. "I feel proud of every one of my team-mates. This shows we can raise our game, that we can fight and achieve what we want."

Matchday 3: Mainz 2-1 Fiorentina

Jaesung Lee headed the winner deep into added time as Mainz came from behind to defeat Fiorentina, protecting their perfect record while dealing the Viola their first loss of the campaign. With the two clubs separated by a notable coefficient gap (Mainz 133, Fiorentina 22), Mainz overturned an early deficit to take all three points.

The visitors were the first to strike at Mainz Arena, Simon Sohm powering home in the 16th minute, but ceded their lead in the second half as, in the goalscorer's view, "We weren't good enough at the decisive moments".

Benedict Hollerbach provided the first of those decisive moments in the second half, rolling in on 68 minutes to draw the hosts level before Lee converted Kaishu Sano's cross in the fifth minute of added time. The matchwinner spoke of a "wonderful" feeling while coach Bo Henriksen celebrated the show of character: "I'm very proud of how we came back in the second half. I'm proud of the courage, power and energy we showed."

Matchday 4: Fiorentina 0-1 AEK Athens

New coach Paolo Vanoli oversaw two encouraging Serie A draws in his first two games in charge of Fiorentina, but his positive streak did not extend to European competition, as AEK Athens got maximum value from Mijat Gaćinović's 35th-minute finish in Florence. The visitors rode their luck at times, but defended resolutely and maintained a significant threat on the counterattack.

"We pressed high from the start and kept them under pressure," said goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha. "[Fiorentina] threatened from corners, but we defended solidly and deserved the win." That approach was reflected in the data, AEK recovering possession 39 times to Fiorentina's 31 and limiting the hosts to just three shots on target – their lowest return of the league phase.

Goalscorer Gaćinović added: "We worked hard to prepare for this match. It's not easy to perform at your best against a team like Fiorentina, both offensively and defensively, but I believe today we executed the game plan perfectly."

Matchday 5: Shkëndija 2-0 Slovan Bratislava

Victory against Slovakia's Slovan ensured that North Macedonian champions Shkëndija finished the league phase unbeaten at home (W2 D1) and with hope of qualifying for the knockout phase. "We have not yet secured a springtime European place," said coach Jeton Beqiri. "But I am hopeful."

His optimism may be well founded given the confident manner in which they undid Slovan. Liridon Latifi met a corner and forced Kenan Bajrić to head into his own net on 33 minutes before left-back Ronaldo Webster teed up Sebastjan Spahiu for the second in first-half added time. Shkëndija looked calm after the interval and struck the crossbar through Fiton Ademi.

Shkëndija's control was reflected in the underlying numbers, restricting Slovan to an expected goals total of just 0.32 and no shots on target across the contest. "It was a very good performance," said Beqiri. Hard to disagree.

Matchday 6: Lausanne-Sport 1-0 Fiorentina

Lausanne-Sport sealed their knockout phase place in style as Gabriel Sigua's 58th-minute effort, part of a fine second-half display, inspired them to victory against two-time finalists Fiorentina. "They saw in the first half that it was possible to beat Fiorentina and not only play on their level, but even aim a little bit higher," beamed coach Peter Zeidler at full time.

Lausanne-Sport spent more time threatening in advanced areas, recording 33 touches in the opposition box to Fiorentina's 17 and generating the higher expected goals total (1.42 to 0.58). The Swiss side had never beaten an Italian team in eight previous meetings, giving an added sweetness to a victory that secured a ninth-placed finish for the competition debutants. Zeidler's charges finished with a record of three wins, two draws and one loss.

Knockout phase play-offs first leg: Noah 1-0 AZ Alkmaar

The first Armenian side to reach the knockout phase of a UEFA club competition following a group stage or league phase, Noah might have been inclined to be cautious as they opened their tie against AZ. However, they set up in a positive formation, and if they conceded possession to their guests (30% to AZ's 70%), they compensated with relentless work without the ball, applying 500 pressures — the fourth-highest total in the competition so far — and still proved effective going forward.

Jeroen Zoet had to beat a header off his line in the first half and was left with no chance as Hovhannes Hambardzumyan hit a superb winner from distance on 53 minutes. "I did not promise a victory, but I promised that everyone would be proud of the team," said coach Sandro Perković. "I believe that after this game, all Armenians can be proud of our team."

Knockout phase play-offs second leg: Rijeka 3-1 Omonoia

Despite conceding early in the game, Rijeka's strong second-half showing put them through to the round of 16. After registering just six touches in the opposition box before the break, they produced 21 in the second half, reflecting their increased pressure. Toni Fruk scored twice and Daniel Adu-Adjei lobbed in a third goal, with resilient defending from the hosts keeping Omonoia at bay.

Round of 16 first leg: Celje 0-4 AEK Athens

Having scored four in the league phase of this season’s Europa League for Ferencváros, Barnabás Varga opened the scoring within three minutes of his Conference League debut for AEK Athens, and Celje never recovered. They were 3-0 down by the break, conceded a fourth later, and it could have been much worse.

Marko Nikolić has been praised in the Greek media since joining AEK in the summer; the Serbian’s side top the domestic table, and his standards are high. "We created and missed a lot of chances to score more and essentially ‘seal’ our qualification," he said at full time. Twenty efforts on goal despite having only 43% possession says it all.

Round of 16 second leg: AEK Larnaca 1-2 Crystal Palace

Ismaïla Sarr scored one in the first half and then the decider in extra time in Cyprus to earn the praise of his Crystal Palace team-mate Adam Wharton, who said of the Senegalese forward: "He's been top. He's scoring a lot of goals and getting a load of assists. He's so quick, so if you get that little bit of space in behind, it works wonders having him." Sarr had 13 shots, the most by any player in a game so far in the competition.

After a shock home loss to AEK Larnaca in the league phase, then a 0-0 draw against the same opponents in the first leg, the pressure was on for Oliver Glasner's side. They mounted 91 attacks, had 28 attempts on goal, but were unable to take the decisive lead until after their hosts had been reduced to ten men. Glasner called it "a huge achievement".

Quarter-final first leg: Crystal Palace 3-0 Fiorentina

Faced with a team that have twice reached the final of this competition, and who have been on the up under Paolo Vanoli, Palace delivered perhaps their best performance of the season. Jean-Philippe Mateta put the hosts ahead from the spot, and Tyrick Mitchell scuffed in a second to give them a 2-0 half-time lead. Fiorentina roared back into the game, but the Eagles dug their claws in, and Ismaïla Sarr's late header left them with a substantial lead to take to Italy.

With 17 attempts on goal to Fiorentina's eight, it was a slick performance from Oliver Glasner's side. "It starts with the strikers, and then we have our clear patterns," the coach explained. "When they played long balls, we were very physically dominant, which is not so easy against [Roberto] Piccoli. We were also really sharp on second balls." That dominance was reflected in the numbers, with Crystal Palace winning 56% of duels, 58% of aerial duels and recording 39 ball recoveries. Mateta, for one, loved to see Palace hitting peak form: "Myself and the team want to be better every time. I know today was a fantastic game, but we want even more in the next one."

Quarter-final second leg: Strasbourg 4-0 Mainz

Mainz expected a response after they won 2-0 against Strasbourg in the first leg, but the ferocity of Gary O'Neil's side's performance in the second leg – and the passion of the support they received – was overwhelming. Crisp passing and decisive finishing underpinned a ruthless attacking display, with Strasbourg converting 40% of their shots. It was a night for the ages at the Stade de La Meinau, and even a missed penalty at 2-0 up did not quell their momentum.

"We could do this, but when it actually happens there is a lot to take in," admitted forward Martial Godo. O'Neil added: "The players deserve it. You saw they gave a lot. We had players injured, sick. We had to dig very, very deep to get over the line and that's what it takes sometimes to achieve things in football."

Semi-final first leg: Shakhtar 1-3 Crystal Palace

"Crystal Palace played against us the way they usually play against Manchester City, Arsenal and other top Premier League opponents," said Shakhtar boss Arda Turan after his side's first-leg defeat. Certainly, Palace's victory was a victory for pragmatism. They took a 21st-second lead through Ismaïla Sarr, weathered intense pressure, but recovered from conceding early in the second half with two goals in the later stages of the game.

"I was really impressed with the reaction the team showed when we conceded because, all of a sudden, we had two or three big chances and missed them, and then we took the lead again from a long throw-in," said Palace boss Oliver Glasner, whose side had just 31% possession on the night and mounted 26 attacks compared to Shakhtar's 60. "We waited for our situations."

Semi-final second leg: Strasbourg 0-1 Rayo Vallecano

Rayo Vallecano sealed a place in their first-ever European final after following up a first-leg 1-0 victory by winning in Strasbourg by the same scoreline. The Spanish side put in a strong first-half performance to control the game, creating nine chances to Strasbourg's one before the break, and Brazilian forward Alemão eventually pounced on a rebound in the 42nd minute.

Strasbourg pushed forward in the second half, creating more chances, but Vallecano goalkeeper Augusto Batalla ensured his side kept a clean sheet by saving a stoppage-time Julio Enciso penalty. Their delighted coach Íñigo Pérez said after full-time: "It was the best we have played since I have been here, in every aspect – in defence, in attack and also emotionally, in how we handled the occasion. I am so proud of these players."